The Arrowverse has had one single story that it has been heading towards for a number of years. It has been teased across all of the CW superhero shows and looks to include a wide range of DC properties, perhaps even outside of the Arrowverse itself!
Arrow took everything a step further, as it began the process of setting up Crisis on Infinite Earths, a crossover event unlike any other in the history of DC on TV and one that is sure to mark the end of some notable characters. We'd already seen other universes brought into the mix during Elseworlds, which allowed other DC franchises to be included in the Arrowverse, so we now take a look at what other DC TV shows or movies could be added to the crossover in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
10 DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY
It might come as a surprise for some that the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy has already been teased in the Arrowverse before. During the Elseworlds story, we see Nora Fries come across a number of Gotham related artifacts as she searches for a freeze gun. Amongst these props is the mask worn by Bane during The Dark Knight Rises.
It might be a bit of a stretch to see a direct crossover between the two franchises, but there may be a way to nod to it during Crises on Infinite Earths. It would only require one returning cast member to make the crossover official, as the show could flick between different dimensions eventually landing on the world of Christian Bale's Batman. Of course, if there are no cast members available then a couple of notable props would also do the trick, with the Tumbler and the Bat Suit being the most iconic aspects of this trilogy.
9 GOTHAM
Gotham may have come to an end, but that shouldn't stop the show from heavily tying into the Arrowverse. With this Earth in need of a Batman, after theirs has gone missing, it seems fitting that a brand new dark knight in the multiverse could jump in to lend a hand.
It would also be great if we could see this version of Jim Gordon lending a hand, but it would be pretty awesome to see Batwoman and the caped crusader teaming up against whatever threatens their Earths. While The Dark Knight trilogy would serve better as a brief cameo, these worlds would be able to link up so well that it would fit the tone of the event if the characters of Gotham could actually play a major role in the story.
8 SMALLVILLE
Another TV show that has been heavily implied to be within the Arrowverse multiverse; it appears that the Green Arrow from Smallville can be seen in the teaser for Elseworlds, which was played as part of the three major superhero CW shows.
During the scene of fallen heroes, we can make out many versions of the supers that we already know, although clearly from different Earths. It's very possible that during Crisis on Infinite Earths, the plot will continue to incorporate other heroes to make the event feel much larger. There's no better way to do this than using already established characters from the world of Smallville, which would have fans feeling very nostalgic!
7 90s FLASH
The 90s Flash TV show has also been a major part of the Elseworlds event and is sure to play into the next big crossover. John Wesley Shipp has already been a regular on the CW's version of the scarlet speedster, as he's played both the role of Barry Allen's father and Jay Garrick.
During Elseworlds, the veteran actor returned as the Flash that was featured in the 90s TV show, complete with the original costume. It was a great throwback, although fans were left disappointed claiming that the character was underused during the crossover. It's almost certain that he will return in some capacity though and maybe even with the help of some of the heroes on his Earth, including the Diggle Green Lantern that he has teased in the past.
6 KRYPTON
Another newer show in the DC archives, Krypton is still going strong and is currently in production on another season and a spin-off! The series based on the home planet of Superman has been a surprise hit amongst fans and has even managed to introduce characters such as Brainiac and Lobo to the small screen.
As it continues its momentum it seems fitting that it could find a place in Crises on Infinite Earths. Of course, there will be a number of Kryptonians already involved in this story including Supergirl and Superman, so why not add another unique version of their heritage. The show details their history and in theory, could be a prequel to the steel heroes. Perhaps it will also be linked through time travel, or can be from a universe that's a few years behind the rest of the multiverse. Plus who doesn't want to see Brainy and Brainiac come face to face?
5 BLACK LIGHTNING
There is a fifth CW DC show that has yet to crossover with the main Arrowverse. Black Lightning has been going strong on the network for a few seasons and has already become a bit of a favorite amongst comic books fans. It's successfully adapted many new heroes and villains to TV but doesn't appear to be on the same Earth as Arrow.
Despite some teases of a crossover from those behind the scenes, there has never been a complete guarantee that these characters will one day inhabit the same scene. If the characters from this series are ever to make the jump over to the main CW shows, then the upcoming crossover is the best place to do so. They would fit the tone really well and Black Lightning himself certainly wouldn't look out of place alongside the other heroes.
4 TITANS
The DC streaming service has had a bit of rough start but has been producing some great content. One of the best original shows it has to offer is Titans, which is available internationally on Netflix. The show sees the Teen Titans team adapted faithfully from the comics and has been met with praise and a strong critical consensus.
If DC would like to further advertise its streaming platform and the content and characters that it features, it makes sense that they use the Infinite Earths story as a marketing opportunity to boost their products. Having Robin turn up, perhaps in a final fight, or maybe even the whole team, would be such a fun cameo to have and do more harm than good in terms of Warner Brother's financial interests.
3 DC EXTENDED UNIVERSE
The marketing behind the DC Extended Universe has recently shifted to something closer towards the 'Worlds of DC.' It seems they are moving towards a set of franchises that can crossover at any time with the use of the multiverse. There seems no better time to test that new branding strategy than to crossover at least an aspect of these huge blockbuster films with the TV shows.
Whilst their tones are completely different, it wouldn't hurt to have a quick cameo, or some kind of reference to this larger universe. The TV shows and films have a difficult relationship in terms of the characters they can use, but this could bridge the gap a little by featuring a minor character or location. We think even a trip to the Batcave from that universe could be enough to show that this is one of the Earths in the Arrowverse, without financially ruining the studio with a big name actor.
2 WONDER WOMAN TV SHOW
We've had almost every major DC hero and member of the Justice League, featured in the Arrowverse in some way. Of course, there are some exceptions with the likes of Aquaman and Cyborg absent, although we've had Batman mentioned, Batwoman, Superman, The Flash, The Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Supergirl. There's one hero that has never made an appearance although did have a mini crossover during an advertising campaign.
Wonder Woman deserves to be a part of the Arrowverse in some way and the original TV show may be a way to do that. Lynda Carter portrayed the amazonian during the 70s and much like Shipp, could be brought back in the role again for a cameo. The actress is still very healthy and would probably find it a lot of fun to jump back into a role she is well known for. This would be a brilliant way to tie in Diana Prince to the universe and would be a great throwback for DC fans.
1 SUPERMAN RETURNS
The final entry on this list seems like a bit of a no-brainer because the key cast member needed can be very easily accessed. Superman Returns was a bit of a flop by all accounts but it still has a few fans. It's a part of Superman history and Brandon Routh's portrayal of the man of steel wasn't actually half bad.
Routh can already be found in the CW TV shows as the Atom, with the actor heavily featured in multiple shows over the years. It would be a really easy and fun way to show that this crisis really is happening on infinite Earths if Routh donned the S one more time and returned to the screen as Superman. He can stand alongside the CW's version of the character in a moment that would be truly iconic.